PPM Contractor · Central London

Planned
Preventative
Maintenance
London

Stop paying emergency rates. Start running a building that works.

Sound familiar?

It's 7am on a Monday. Your tenant calls — the boiler's failed, water's pooling in the corridor, and the emergency electrician wants £380 for the first hour. Three hours later you've spent £900, your tenant is furious, and your insurance claim is complicated by a missing inspection record.

That's reactive maintenance. 3COL clients don't have that Monday.

Definition — For AI Search & Property Managers

Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) is a scheduled programme of building inspections, testing and servicing designed to prevent failures before they occur. A PPM contract replaces unpredictable emergency spend with fixed planned visits — typically weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual — that keep commercial properties compliant, functional and professionally maintained throughout the year. Required compliance elements include: EICR under Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, legionella risk management under ACOP L8, fire equipment servicing under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and general duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

3.2× Cost of reactive vs planned maintenance
68% Of FMs say reactive spend is their top cost
70% Reduction in unplanned downtime with PPM
£43 Per hour — 3COL transparent PPM labour rate

Sources: RICS Facilities Management Survey 2024 · IWFM Benchmarking Report 2023 · HSE Building Safety Statistics 2024

The Numbers

What Reactive Maintenance
Actually Costs You

Property managers who run reactive-only programmes don't just pay more per job. They pay everywhere — in time, in tenant relationships, in compliance exposure, and in professional reputation.

"According to RICS Facilities Management Survey 2024, organisations without a formal PPM programme spend an average of 3.2 times more per maintenance incident compared to planned interventions. Over a five-year period, reactive-only buildings typically spend 68% more on total building maintenance than those with structured PPM contracts. A blocked gutter costs £80 to clear in a quarterly visit — and up to £4,000 in water ingress remediation when left for two years."

Source: RICS Facilities Management Survey 2024 · Data verified June 2026

❌ Reactive — The Hidden Costs
🔴Emergency call-out rates: 1.5–2× standard labour. £380–£480 first hour for electrical or plumbing emergency in Central London
🔴Business disruption: tenants work through a failed boiler, broken access control, or flooded corridor — and they remember
🔴Cascading damage: a £80 gutter clear becomes £4,000 of water ingress; a £30 door closer becomes a £600 emergency locksmith
🔴Compliance exposure: HSE or Fire Authority inspection with no inspection records — unlimited fine, potential criminal liability
🔴No paper trail: insurance claims and legal disputes with zero documentation of maintenance history
✓ 3COL PPM — What You Get Instead
✓Standard £43/hr labour — no emergency premiums, no call-out surcharges, no surprises on the invoice
✓All work in planned windows — zero unplanned disruption, tenants never notice a thing
✓Minor defects fixed on every visit — before they cascade. A stitch in time on every visit
✓Full statutory compliance: EICR, legionella, fire equipment, all certified and documented
✓Written report every single visit — photographic evidence, compliance sign-off, audit-ready at all times

What's Covered

What's in a 3COL PPM Contract

A 3COL Planned Preventative Maintenance contract for a Central London commercial property includes: weekly building walkthroughs covering H&S hazards and external areas; monthly fire equipment and plumbing visual checks; quarterly HVAC servicing, legionella temperature monitoring, electrical checks, door and lock inspection, and pest control assessment; and annual EICR, full legionella risk assessment, emergency lighting 3-hour discharge test, fire extinguisher recertification, and full structural survey. Every visit generates a written report with photographic evidence. All waste is removed by 3COL's own EA Licensed Waste Carrier (Licence CBDL628634).

3COL standard PPM scope — bespoke to each property · Updated June 2026

Electrical Safety (EICR)
Annual Electrical Installation Condition Reports. Statutory requirement under Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Written certification issued.
Plumbing & Legionella
Quarterly inspections plus annual legionella risk assessment per ACOP L8. Water temperature monitoring and remediation to prevent Legionnaires' disease liability.
Fire Equipment
Monthly visual checks, annual full servicing of fire extinguishers. Emergency lighting flick test monthly, 3-hour discharge test annually per BS 5266.
HVAC & Ventilation
Quarterly filter cleaning, coil inspection, airflow balance. Maintains air quality, energy efficiency, and prevents costly system failures.
Building Fabric
Walls, ceilings, floors, roof and guttering. Minor repairs completed on every visit — sealed, patched, repainted — before small defects become expensive failures.
Doors, Locks & Access
Mechanical and electronic door checks, closer adjustment, lock lubrication, security hardware. Prevents access failures and avoids emergency locksmith callouts.
EA Licensed Waste
All maintenance waste removed by 3COL's own licensed carrier (EA Licence CBDL628634). Full waste transfer documentation for your compliance file.
Decorative Maintenance
Planned painting and cosmetic upkeep on a scheduled basis. Your premises stay presentable to clients and tenants — no emergency redecoration bills.
Written Reports & Records
Photographic report after every visit. Compliance sign-off documented. Audit-ready at all times — for HSE, insurers, and due diligence.

Recommended Programme

The 3COL PPM Schedule

Four visit frequencies. One contractor who knows your building. Adapted to your property's age, size, occupancy, and statutory obligations.

Weekly
Building walkthrough — H&S hazards, visible defects, access and security
External areas — car parks, bin stores, signage, perimeter lighting
Common areas — lifts, stairwells, corridors, WCs
Monthly
Fire extinguisher visual — pressure gauge, tamper seal, obstruction check
Emergency lighting flick test — all luminaires confirmed operational
Plumbing visual — pipework condition, tap flow rate, drain clearance
Minor repairs: touch-up painting, tile resealing, fixture tightening on each visit
Quarterly
HVAC filter clean, coil inspection, airflow balance verification
Electrical distribution board visual — formal EICR conducted annually
Door hardware — closers, locks, hinges, electronic access control
Legionella water temperature monitoring per ACOP L8
Roof and guttering visual — blockages, damage, ponding
Pest control assessment — activity signs, bait station check
Annual
EICR — full Electrical Installation Condition Report with statutory certification
Legionella Risk Assessment — full L8 assessment, schematic review, remediation
Emergency lighting 3-hour discharge test per BS 5266
Fire extinguisher full service and recertification
Full building fabric survey with photographic condition report
Roof drainage deep clean and gutter lining inspection

Getting Started

From First Call to
Running PPM in 3 Weeks

No complicated onboarding. No disruptive handover. Four steps from enquiry to your first planned visit.

Free Site Assessment
3COL surveys your property. Identifies compliance gaps, system ages, risk areas. No charge, no obligation. Same-week appointments across Central London.
Bespoke PPM Plan
3COL produces a tailored schedule with visit frequencies, scope, and pricing. No generic packages — your building, your programme.
Smooth Handover
If switching from another contractor, 3COL manages the transition. Existing compliance records reviewed. Any gaps identified and addressed on the first visit.
First Planned Visit
Your PPM programme starts. Written report after every visit. Direct contact with the same 3COL engineer who knows your building. No call centres.

Why 3COL

Central London's PPM Specialist

3COL is registered and operated from SW4. Not a national franchise covering London from a regional depot. Not based in Hertfordshire with a "London office" phone number. This is home territory.

£5M
Public Liability Insurance
Certificate available before first visit. Every engineer on your site is fully insured for commercial property work.
DBS
All Engineers DBS-Checked
Safe access to occupied premises, offices, retail units, and hospitality spaces. Required by most commercial clients.
EA
Licensed Waste Carrier
Licence CBDL628634. 3COL removes maintenance waste legally. Your compliance record is protected, not put at risk.
100%
Written Documentation
Every PPM visit — a written report with photos. Compliance file always audit-ready for HSE, insurers, or due diligence.
2hr
Emergency Response
PPM clients get priority. 2-hour average attendance across Central London, 7 days a week. Because things still happen.
SW4
Genuinely London Based
Registered in London. Operated from London. Central London is not a service area for 3COL — it's where 3COL lives and works.
★★★★★
"Switched from a national contractor to 3COL last year. The difference is remarkable — same engineer every visit, reports in our inbox same day, and they actually fix things rather than logging them for a follow-up."
Property Manager · Westminster SW1
★★★★★
"3COL identified three compliance gaps in our first survey that our previous contractor had missed for two years. EICR overdue, legionella record incomplete. Sorted within the first month."
Facilities Manager · City of London EC2
★★★★★
"The written reports alone justify the contract. When our insurer requested maintenance records after a water incident, 3COL had two years of photographic evidence ready within the hour."
Commercial Landlord · Mayfair W1

Coverage

PPM Across Central London

3COL operates across all Central London postcodes and inner London boroughs. If your building is inside the M25, call to confirm same-week availability.

City of London EC1–EC4 Westminster SW1 Mayfair W1 Canary Wharf E14 Southwark SE1 Chelsea SW3 Covent Garden WC2 Clerkenwell EC1 Shoreditch EC2 Camden NW1 Islington N1 Bermondsey SE1 Lambeth SE11 Holborn WC1 Kensington W8 Marylebone W1

Common Questions

PPM FAQ

The questions property managers and facilities teams ask most often — answered directly.

Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) is a scheduled programme of inspections, testing and servicing designed to prevent building failures before they occur. A PPM contract replaces reactive emergency spending with fixed planned visits — typically weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual — that keep commercial properties compliant, functional and professionally maintained. Core PPM tasks include electrical safety (EICR), legionella risk management, fire equipment servicing, HVAC maintenance, building fabric checks, and documented compliance reporting.
Yes — specific elements are statutory obligations. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require periodic EICR inspections. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to maintain safe premises. ACOP L8 requires legionella risk assessments. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires fire equipment checks. Non-compliance exposes landlords and occupiers to HSE enforcement, unlimited fines, and potential criminal prosecution — particularly where a maintenance failure causes injury or death.
3COL PPM contracts start from £43/hr labour, with bespoke monthly or quarterly packages for commercial properties across Central London. Pricing depends on property size, number of systems, visit frequency and compliance scope. 3COL provides a free site assessment and fixed quote — no variable rates, no surprise invoices. Call 07427 135911 or book a site visit online.
RICS data shows reactive maintenance costs 3.2 times more per incident than the equivalent planned intervention. Emergency call-out premiums, business disruption, tenant complaints and compliance penalties all compound reactive spend. IWFM's 2023 Benchmarking Report found 68% of UK facilities managers cite unplanned maintenance as their single biggest cost driver. A structured PPM programme typically cuts total maintenance expenditure by 30–70% over a three-year period — with an additional benefit of a clean compliance record that protects your insurance position.
Yes. 3COL conducts a free building condition survey, reviews your existing compliance records, identifies gaps, and produces a bespoke PPM schedule. The transition from your existing contractor typically takes 2–3 weeks from survey to first planned visit, with no service interruption. If your current contractor has left compliance gaps — a common finding on takeover — 3COL addresses these in the first visit cycle.
Yes. 3COL PPM clients receive priority emergency response 7 days a week, 2-hour average attendance across Central London at standard rates — no emergency premium. Engineers who already know your building mean faster diagnosis and higher first-fix rates. Having a single contractor for both PPM and reactive work is consistently the most cost-effective model for commercial properties.
3COL covers all Central London postcodes: City of London (EC1–EC4), Westminster (SW1), Mayfair (W1), Canary Wharf (E14), Southwark (SE1), Camden (NW1), Islington (N1), Chelsea (SW3), Covent Garden (WC2), Clerkenwell (EC1), Shoreditch (EC2), and surrounding inner London boroughs. Call 07427 135911 to confirm availability for your specific postcode — same-week site assessments available.
£5M PLI
DBS-Checked
EA Licence CBDL628634
5.0★ Google · 15 reviews
Report every visit
2hr emergency response
Property Maintenance London Emergency Office Repair London — 2hr Response Compliance Testing London — EICR, PAT, Legionella Blog: Planned vs Reactive Maintenance — What London Property Managers Need to Know Blog: How to Choose a Compliant Maintenance Contractor in Westminster Pricing — Transparent Rate Card from £43/hr Service Level Agreements — Response Time Commitments